Bathroom travel kit

I should have done this post ages ago... However life keeps happening and somehow I've been super busy. Today though I'm wearing my red skinnies, kids are asleep, and I am listening to the sound of the rain.

On our wedding day a few years ago (4? Really?!?!) 

We received a lot of wonderful gifts. All of which we felt so grateful for and have cherished and loved. I want to share about one in particular that we use every trip we take. EVERY TRIP. 

We call it the "bathroom bag"

This handy bag is ready to go whenever we are for an adventure. The beauty of it is I don't have to gather every little bathroom item as we decide to head out of town. I always keep it well stocked. The lady who gave it to us used to have a business selling these but as far as my research lead me she doesn't sell them anymore. We have adapted it to our needs and have changed what is in the bag so much that I feel comfortable listing everything that is inside it without feeling like I'm taking away from her. 

This list looks totally ghetto. But my printer and my computer are not speaking to each other so a picture and not a scan is what we get. Hopefully I can repair their relationship. While we travel with our babies I also add in baby bathroom stuff... Nail clippers, teething gel, baby soap, ect. This is a list of just everything that stays in the bag at all times. Right before we leave we add toothbrushes, glasses, toothpaste, and razors. Perfume if we are feeling real good. Haha. This bag has been a lifesaver and simplifies my life while traveling. And I love traveling. I add items as necessary for longer trips. 

As you can tell it doesn't take up too much room and it says a ton of headache especially when we plan a last minute trip. Most of the items I got in the travel section of the toiletries at the store. I bought some reusable travel size bottles for my favorite shampoo and conditioner.  It stores under my bathroom cabinet perfectly. Do you have a bag like this? What are your musts? 

A real apartment

Welcome to a quick tour of my home. 

Its not a house. I can't paint the walls, I can't change the layout, I can't really hang too much on the walls either.

But what I can do is make it fun, work, and look super cute. 

I have been trying to get ideas of apartment decor online, but everything seems to be a studio 

apartment that they revamp and can paint everything. 

I thought I'd do a post about a real apartment with real decor problems. 

I am in love with the idea of living with less but there is a balance

that I find myself struggling with. Which is what in the world to keep and 

what to get rid of. 

Is it this time of year or is it just because I moved that I want to organize so bad?

Is anyone else feeling it? 

Our apartment is a spacious 2 bedroom (approx. 1,100 square feet) 

We have a laundry area (which you will NOT be seeing today)

2 bathrooms (so spoiled I know) 

Here is the master bath which holds 95% of all bathroom things because Thayne can 

get into the cabinet in the other one. 

When we first moved in I immediately noticed a HUGE storage problem the only storage that 

came with the apartment is that vanity which has two teeny tiny drawers. Can you see them? So we went out and got this beauty...

I know its not much. But it is so functional and holds so MUCH!

P.S. I got it from Wal-mart and also the shower curtain which brings some life and color into this otherwise very white bathroom. Too bad no one ever sees this bathroom.

Still have our robes hanging on the back door.

All our bathroom "stuff" fits in here. I wont show you the nitty gritty details of the cupboards yet...

(Give me a break we haven't even lived here a month yet)

But here is a very helpful thing when organizing a bathroom: remember that you have too much.

Seriously! I had about 10 different bottles of lotion when we moved here and I thought I was doing good. Most were on the emptier side of life. Here is a little solution for that.

This is my travel kit. We go on weekend trips and long trips all the time. This is so handy 

because all I have to grab as far as bathroom supplies when we leave town is our glasses, toothbrushes, and razors because I have everything else that we could possibly need ready to go. 

I highly suggest getting one together. For the lotion problem... 

See those bottles I have out? I just did a lotion collection bottle, a shampoo one, ect. All those

hotel ones I kept "just in case" were driving me crazy and almost empty bottles that I 

couldn't throw away. Less things, more easy to find what you actually need, more organized. Trust me its a beautiful cycle. 

Out of the master bathroom you will find our room... its long and narrow. 

We put our desk in here so Adam can study uninterrupted by me and Thayne.

We also downsized most our office stuff. That was so wonderful. Before we had 

a wall of a desk and somehow we filled it with stuff. Love this desk so much better.

Haven't gotten everything up on the walls yet. But we hung the curtains. 

Curtains help so much in making a place feel like home. 

Not very exciting but my nightstand.

My ikea organizer I am using for my favorite scarves.

Blah these pictures of the closet didn't turn out so hot. I will have to retake some later...

Yes I know we are spoiled by a huge walk in.

ikea baskets for our sweaters, snow gear.

My "nice" shoes aka not enough room out front to hold these ones.

better picture of the desk in our room. Adam keeps it nice and clean. 

This is my kitchen... its tiny. Look close at all the cabinets. where in the world is there space for food? 

Ta-da! This shelving unit is my open pantry. Its not perfect, Martha Stewart would probably not approve but it works for us. I hold extra appliances on top and then have some baskets that I hold like things. I have a ikea step stool to help me reach everything and also so Thayne can help in the kitchen. I choose cream colored baskets because I can use them through out the whole house. Then I can buy the same type of baskets and not have to worry about it not matching a different room if I take it out. 

My kitchen island (wal-mart) also helps with my lack of counter space and storage. I keep most my baking supplies in there. I also managed to squeeze some fold out chairs for extra company. 

I no longer have a knife block (don't have room) I use this ikea magnetic strip to hold my cutting knives and they are very much out of Thayne's reach. 

  

Our entryway. Shoe racks are the way to go. I have our most commonly used coats out. 

See the baskets? They work everywhere.

Here is a room that still has a lot of work. Where the love sac is, is where the desk was. I am going to have to probably rearrange and get another chair to make this room work. Another ikea buy is the entertainment center. Again I am not doing any close ups yet... 

I need to figure out how to decorate the book cases better.

Well thats our apartment so far. I have been learning lots about apartment living. This will be my 6th year of apartment living. With hopefully only 3 more to go. I am enjoying the simplified lifestyle and 

feel like I have plenty of room. We will see when baby #2 comes along. 

I will have to show Thayne's room off another day. He is sleeping like an angel and I am enjoying the blogging time :)

Celebrating 6 months of cloth diapers

6 months of cloth diapers!!! Can you believe it?

Little man is turning one next month and has been saving just a tiny part of the environment and not even knowing it.

This post is about some of the things I have faced and some of the things I have learned.

I hope this helps you if you are thinking about cloth diapering or trying them out as well.

The cloth diapers I use are flip I have a few Indian Prefolds as well for at night.

First things first the bag...

I bought a planet wise diaper pail liner (about 17 bucks) which worked just fine other than you have to have a diaper

pail (price varies on how fancy you want to get).

I also with the help of my mother (ok so maybe all I did was buy and pick out fabric) made this bag which I

now use instead of the pail and pail liner system and I love it because it

1. takes up WAY less space

2. Easily sits next to the toliet

3. Can travel with us

4. I got to choose whatever style and size I wanted

5. IT ZIPS!!!

Don't worry it normally doesn't sit on the counter.

And please don't zoom in on my toes.

Baking soda helps combat the stink. Just sprinkle a little into whatever you hold your diapers in.

Finally verdict I like my bag A LOT better and it was cheap to make.

 (google tutorials on cloth diaper bags to find one you like)

Another thing I have learned is that it is always nice to have disposables on hand

It is not fun having a sick baby with runny poop every diaper in cloth.

Unfortunately I found out later that you should wash your diapers every couple of days. I bought enough

diapers for 4 days. which is really nice to have the extra but really 2 days worth of cloth diapers (plus a couple extra for while they are being washed is all you really need.

Hope this helps! I am sure loving the cloth diapers and the sense of security they bring.

i don't have to worry about running to the store for more diapers or worry about if they are on sale.